The purpose of this course is to familiarize you with the
basic concepts and tools of microeconomics as they apply to
public policy analysis. We will study how economists think about
household decisions, business decisions, government decisions,
and benefit/cost analysis. These forms of "microeconomic
thinking" will be used to analyze public policy issues
throughout the course

The prerequisite for this course is the receipt of a
"B" or above in a previous introductory (undergraduate)
course in microeconomics. Even though this is the
"official" requirement, I will review basic
microeconomic principles before assuming that you remember them.
If your microeconomics is a bit rusty, the EZ-101 Study Keys
outline is the appropriate reference. For a more complete review,
pull out your old microeconomics textbook.

Microeconomics offers many insights into understanding how
business, government, and people interact. Some of the most
serious problems that individuals and society face are economic
based. An understanding of economics is therefore part of
deriving solutions to these problems. As future public policy
"gurus," an understanding of the economic principles
taught in this curse is essential to your future ability to
provide good public policy analyses.

A goal of mine has always been to try to improve the way that
economics is taught to university students. I would consider
myself a success if I could get you to learn some economics,
appreciate its value to the career choice you have made, and
perhaps most important to have a part of your brain think like an
economist after you leave this class. Notice that I emphasize
only a "part" of you brain. Good policy analysts have
to also consider relevant political and administrative issues,
and the social ramifications of proposed public policy. The
development of these parts of your brain will be accomplished
through other courses you take in this program.

This course does not emphasize politics, but I do recognize
the need to consider it. If during a lecture you feel a relevant
political issue needs to be discussed, please bring it up. My
formal training in political science is limited and I welcome the
learning experience. I am telling you all of this up front to
encourage you to share with me, even before teaching evaluations
are given, your opinion on any of my teaching methods.

The course consists of one 165 minute meeting a week. (a 15
minute break will be given in the middle of each class meeting).
Each week you should plan on devoting at least five hours outside
of the classroom to study related to this course. It is important
that you attend all lectures. To help insure and reward
attendance, I require that each Thursday you hand in a one to
two-page, double-spaced, and typed summary of the reading
assigned for the following week. (On the first day of class I
will provide an example.) You will also be asked to complete
written exercises out of the assigned texts. Your reading summary
and exercises can only be turned in on the Thursday that they are
due (no exceptions). This acts as a form of attendance. An
"A", "B", "C" or "F"
(fail) will be marked on each of these. There will 13 such
assignments and you are allowed to drop the lowest two grades.

I also ask each of you to attend at least one of the seminars
that are sponsored by the Public Policy and Administration
Department and the School of Social Sciences and
Interdisciplinary Studies. There will be three or four of them
given throughout the fall 1998 semester from 4:00  5:30
p.m. (a schedule will be forthcoming). To demonstrate attendance
at one of these seminars you need to write up a two-page,
double-spaced and typed summary and critique of the seminar. The
grade received on this summary will be averaged into your
Thursday attendance grade. To pass this course you may not opt
out of this assignment. If you cannot make any of the seminars, I
will provide you with a paper to do the same thing with.

Questions and comments pertaining to lecture are encouraged
during lecture. Other questions will be answered during my office
hours. Office hours can also be used to handle a complaint or
suggestion on how the class is taught, general discussion of
economics, the Public Policy and Administration Program, or your
career plans. We are fortunate to have a graduate student
teaching assistant for this course. You should utilize her office
hours. During her office hours she can be considered your own
personal tutor, please put her to good use.

Examination Procedure:

There will be three 75-minute examinations (October 1,
November 5, and December 17 {final exam date}). All exams will be
non-cumulative and closed book. After a short break, lecture will
follow the first two exams. Material for exams will be taken out
of assigned reading, lecture, and homework. I will provide a
sample exam early in the semester.

If you have an illness or emergency, if at all possible, I
expect to be notified before the exam takes place. If you fail to
show up for an exam without contacting me, or if you cannot
provide written documentation of why you missed, you will receive
a zero on the exam.

Paper Requirement:

Each student must also complete a 15 to 20 page, double-spaced
and typed paper on a simple benefit/cost study of their choice.
The paper will utilize the benefit/cost techniques that are
taught throughout this course. In writing this paper, the student
must work with a client from the community, local government, or
state government. To better assess the real-world needs of a
benefit/cost study, the student will interview this client before
writing the paper and will present the results to them after the
paper is completed. The best papers will also be put on a web
site devoted to this topic. You should immediately begin thinking
about a topic of local interest that you could conduct a simple
benefit/cost study on and a potential client to work with.
Deborah Franklin (our teaching assistant) and I can help in this
area. For ideas, take a look at the bibliography that begins on
p. 445 in BGV&W. An assignment will be to choose two articles
from under one of the 25 topics included on p. 445, read the
articles, and write a double-spaced, one-page summary of each.
You can begin this at any time. Further details on the paper will
be forthcoming in class. The paper is due on December 17. Each
day it is late, you will lose one full grade.

Grading Procedure:

Exam grades will be calculated using the following formula:

Percent Correct

Letter Grade

Number Grade

100-94

A+

4.3

93-89

A

4.0

88-84

A-

3.7

83-79

B+

3.3

78-74

B

3.0

73-69

B-

2.7

68-64

C+

2.3

63-59

C

2.0

58-54

C-

1.7

53-40

D

1.0

<40

F

0.0

A number grade will be assigned to everything you do. Your
final grade will be calculated based on these number grades.

The average of your three exam grades accounts for 50 percent
of your final grade. The Thursday assignment grade accounts for
25 percent of your final grade. The paper grade makes up the
remaining 25 percent your final grade. University policy for
dropping this course will be followed. You must take the final
exam and complete the paper to receive a passing grade.

Schedule:

The following schedule lists the major topics covered and the
assigned reading that accompanies them. I reserve the right to
make minor changes and additions to the following schedule.